Glare eliminator



Sept. 19. 1933. A. c. HURRELL ET AL GLARE ELIMINATOR Filed Feb. 4. 1932fl. C. Hu/ERELL and E G. /7//v/vEM/l/V:

Snnentors;

wl', f ri G ttorneg Patented Sept. 19, 1933 curso s'rA'rss FATE-INTOFFICE GLARE ELIMINA'roR Albert Hurrell and Edward G. Minneman,

Richmond, Ind.

The invention relates to the science of optics,V

and the primal objectfwhich we have attained is the provision of a glareeliminator for the headlights of vehicles, the same. being very simplein construction, easily installed, highly eflicient in operation, andwhich can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low price.

In the operation of Y automobiles one of the greatest hazards,especially at night, is the glare i0 emanating `from headlights of otherautomobiles approaching either from the front or the rear, and theespecial object of this invention is to overcome said hazard, and thatwithout diminutionv of the light required for the proper functioning ofthe automobile with which they are operatively connected, as hereinparticularly specified.

Other objects and particular advantages of our invention will besuggested in the course of the following description, and that which isnew `and useful will be correlated in the appended claim.

The preferred means for carrying out the principlesof our invention in apractical, economical, and highly efficient manner, is shown in theaccompanying one-sheet of drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a head-lamp, the sainebeing shown as partly broken away, inorder to show our invention as installed in connection with light bulbtherein, and indicating by arrows the normal directions which willbetaken by the light rays as they issue from the lamp. Figure 2 is thesame as Fig. 1, except that it is taken at right-angles thereto, that islooking directly downwardly into the lamp. Figure 3 is a centralvertical section of our device and of a light-bulb and its connectiontherewith, And Figure 4 is a perspective View of our invention alone.

Similar indices designate like parts throughout the several views.

in order that the construction, the installation, and the operationY ofour invention may be more fully understood and appreciated, we will nowtake up a detailed description thereof, in which we will set forth thesame as fully and as com# prehensively as we may. 45 The associatedparts, which are indicated by letters of reference, include the bowl orbody A of an electric head-lamp, in which is secured the concavereflector B, the forward end of the lamp being closed by the crystal, orother 50 transparency, C. Secured in the convergent rear end of the bodyA, and also projecting through the center of the reflector B, is thesocket member D, from which issue the wires E and F which lead torespective negative and positive elements to form an electric circuit.

Numeral G designates an ordinary electric light bulb, whose stem Hlitssnugly in the socket D, where it is detachably secured, and whereby anelectric circuit willbe formed through the filament I, therein, andthrough the wires E and F r to the source of power.

Said parts are merely shown to make clear the installation and theoperation of our invention, and no claim per se is made thereto, and weare not to be limited to the construction thereof.

Our invention in itself resides in the following .described parts whichare designated by` numerals, as follows: Numeral l denotes a circulardisclike cap, which is concavo-convex in shape and it is formed,preferably, of thin metal or other opaque material, and it is' adaptedto nt snugly in contact with the free forward end portion of an electriclight bulb G, as shown, and its concave surface may be made reflective,or radioactive, in some instances although this is not an essential 5requisite.

Extending outwardly from around the periphe ery of the cap 1 is a flange2, which projects at right-angles, or nearly so, to the axis of the bulbG, and whose purpose andv importance will hereinafter be fullyparticularized.

Numeral 3 denotes the cradle, which also acts as a retaining arm andalso as a concave reflector, and it forms a rearward extension of thecap 1, to which it is secured or is formed integral therewith. The inneror contact surface of the cradle 2 is reiiuent, whereby it will act as areflector substantially at right-angles to the cap 1; Said cradle tapersslightly from the cap 1 to its rear'terminal, substantially asindicated. Attached to and projecting at substantially rightangles fromthe rear end portion of the cradle member 3, are the resilient orspring-like prongs 4 and 5, which are formed to project arcuately inembracing relationwith the stem portion H of the bulb G, or with thesocket member D.

The placing and functioning of our device may be described as follows:No preliminary preparations are required to install our device, as onehas only to obtain access to the interior of the head lamp. Y Afterwhich one has only to bring the device to position by placing theconcave face of the head 1 into approximately nesting contact with thefront end ofthe light bulb G, then turning the cradle 3, bringing itupwardly against the bulb, with its rear end in contact with the stem Hof the bulb, which, manifestly, will causeV the prongs 4 and 5 to beslightly distended, with relation to each other, until their free endshave passed slightly beyond half-Way around the stem of the bulb, wherethey will, of their own resiliency, closely embrace the stem of the bulband thereby retain the device in operative position, as in Fig. 3.

As there are usually two head-lamps to an automobile it is evident thatone of our devices should be attached to each, as stated.

With the installation completed, as stated, no further attention isrequired, as they will then be ready at all times to automaticallyfunction as follows: The light developed in each bulb will not bedisturbed, and the lamp reectors will be fully illuminated as before,except that the two sources of objectionable glare will be eliminated.That is to say, iirst, that the direct rays of light from the filamentsI will be deflected back upon the lamp reflectors, whereby theirobjectionable glaring rays will be modified and whereby they will notform a glare, but will continue to produce the proper vision ahead ofthe automobile. Secondly, the rays of light which usually projectdownwardly from kthe bulb have, heretofore, been reflected upon thelower portion of the lamp `1 reflector and by the latter were reflectedupwardly and forwardly into the vision of the driver of an approachingautomobile. Our device entirely eliminates this second objectionablefeature, as the rays of light which are usually. di-

'rected downwardly are out oif by the reflector cradle 3 and aredeflected upwardly to the upper part of the lamp reflector and then byit are projected downwardly and forwardly to the roadway, whereby theywill be of material advantage to the driver and without any disadvantageto the occupant of the approaching automobile.l

Other important features of our invention reside ivi the flange 2. Thisflange accomplishes various important purposes, first, it prevents theotherwise necessity of having the cap portion of our device extendrearwardly further over the bulb than that shown, in order to cut outall the objectionable rays of light; and by having the cap lcomparatively short, as shown, the rays of light will be diverted insuch manner that there will be no detrimental results, to the driver ofthe car on which it is located or to theidriver of an Y approaching car.

One purpose of the flange 2 is that by reason of it extending outwardlyeven with the extent of the bulb 1 is that it obstructs the rays oflight from the bulb which would otherwise strilrcthe forward portion ofthe main reflector. Also by reason of the said flange extending directlyoutwardly, in combination with the other elements of our construction,we are able to position the light-bulb on a true horizontal plane, inplace of at an angle vertically, as required without its employment.

Collectively considered, our invention removes, or rather prevents, allof the objectionable features of bright head-lamps, and at the same timepreserves all of the desirable features thereof, as well as contributingimportantly to improvements in night-driving conditions both to thedriver who has our invention installed on his car, and to the driving ofother automobiles in proximity therewith.

While we have shown and described our invention as associated with thehead-lights of automobiles, it is to be understood that our invention isnot to be limite-:l thereto, as the principles and the rnain featuresthereof may be eniployed with other light bulbs or the like and forother purposes which need not be detailed herein, such for instance, aslight bulbs in public or private buildings, and in various other kindsof indirect lighting systems.

Having now fully shown and described our invention, what we claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

ln combination with a head-lamp for Vehicles,

combination with each other, of a concavo-con- Vex dise-like cap fittingtightly over and covering the free end of said bulb, a iiat flangeextending entirely around and directly outward at right angles to thesaid stem of the bulb and integral with said cap, a concave-convextapering cradle with its larger end formed integral with an edge portionof said iiange and forming a rearwardly directed portion thereof andcontacting with the larger peripheral portion of said bulb. from whichit follows the contour of the bulb to the conjunction of the bulb withits metal stem, said cradle being formed tapering from the cap to therear terminal, a pair of oppositely disposed arcuate-shaped prongsextending at right-angles from and rigidly secured to the rear end ofsaid cradle and in embracing relation to said stem for securing thedevice in operative connection with said bulb, all substantially asshown and described 1m and for the purposes set forth.

ALBERT C. HURRELL. EDWARD G. MINNEMAN.

